Class Notes 1984
REUNION NEWS from Ann Ruhr Pifer, SPA 1983:
“We had about 45 people at The Grand Hand Gallery in Saint Paul, and a show of Peter Zelle’s glass art was up at the time. There were no particular activities, but there was good food (including some of Mike Sands’ company’s snack food, Lesser Evil, which everyone loved), and great conversation — everyone stayed really late talking and telling stories.”
From left, Susan Schloff, John Ervin, Johnny Arbogast, Trip Johnson, Todd Johnson, Amy Sundberg O’Brien, Michael Sands, Andrea Kauffman Gruber, Bert Wilson, Rich Geist, Peter Zelle, Jennifer Abuzzahab, Chris Commers, Tim Miner, Jennifer Sahlin, John O’Brien ’78, Cindy Fisher Wilson, John Seymour, Georgeanna Lewis, Eric Dieperink, Ann Ruhr Pifer, Ned Patterson, Mollie Ward, Dave Arenson, Tracy Cosgrove Lakatua, Brad Burke and, just out of picture, Debby Peterson.
1983
Tracy Cosgrove Lakatua tlakatua@bigsky.net
This fall, Ned Patterson and a team of researchers at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities published information in the Nature Genetics journal identifying a gene in Labrador retriever dogs associated with exercise induced collapse (EIC). In dogs suffering from EIC, Labradors start to lose control of their hind limbs after intense hunting or retrieving exercises. About 2-3 percent of Labradors — the most common dog breed in the world — are affected by EIC. In a breakthrough discovery, the research team identified a mutant form of the gene associated with EIC.
This is the first natural mutation of this gene identified in any mammal (including humans), and its discovery could offer insight into normal, as well as abnormal, neurobiology in animals and humans. Researchers also determined that up to 30 percent of Labrador retrievers are carriers of the mutation, and they developed and patented a genetic test to indicate whether dogs have the normal or mutated forms of the gene. “The test can not only help confirm the diagnosis, but it can also help dog breeders ensure that no dog inherits two copies of the mutated gene,” said Patterson, internal medicine specialist, professor at The College of Veterinary Medicine at U of M and co-investigator of the study.
The test is available exclusively through the U of M’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Breeds such as Chesapeake Bay and curly coated retrievers, which are closely related to Labradors, have also been found to have the mutation. The research team is now determining what other breeds might be involved and more precisely defining the mutation. Further study could lead to a better understanding of the processes that occur in other neurological diseases, both in animals and in humans. Johnny Arbogast’s book of poetry, Searcher: Collected Poems 1988-2008, is available at www. lulu.com/content/3095308.
Tom Guyer tom.guyer@winsorlearning.com
Your class reunion planning committee welcomes the participation of additional volunteers. Please contact SPA’s Institutional Advancement office at 651-696-1366 or email alumni@spa.edu.
Joe Bagnoli writes, “I have founded an adult group of musical theater devotees to perform High School Musical (selections from all three! in nursing homes across the Midwest. It has been wonderful to rekindle my passion for musicals (a passion that was born when I was in the chorus of Grease the Musical our senior year in high school).” Hans Dekker writes, “My dreams of being a jam-band event organizer are finally being realized. I was the principal organizer of a two-day outdoor concert modeled on other events like Bonaroo or Lollapalooza that took place in late August in suburban New Jersey — it had the catchy title of ‘Hellahound.’ Every night ended with a stage full of folks singing Good Lovin’. No word on whether Bob Weir and Arlo Guthrie made the event, though they were prominently featured on all of the promotional materials.” Class Agent Tom Guyer writes, “The Class of ’83-’84 and ’90 broomball team retires: After 17 years of fierce competition and pulled hamstrings, Team Gilligan, comprised of Spencer Deinard, Brian Hols, Joe Bagnoli, Trip Johnson, Sarah Bullard, Tom Guyer, Eric Dieperink, David Murphy and Nick Johnson, along with wives and lovers, has called it quits. Despite throwing in the towel in the face of younger, surlier competition, the
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